Emotionless

Chapter Four

Jude lightly knocked on Michael's door before pushing it open and walking in. She saw Michael with a scowl on his face, lying on his bed with his IPOD in his ears. Jude sat on the corner of the bed and lightly nudged his knee. Michael looked up and pulled his IPOD from his ears. Jude just looked at him; he looked so much like his father. He had her eyes but the rest of him was definitely Tommy. As for Madison and Vincent, Vinny was like Jude's clone and Madison was a mix of the two. She had Jude's face but Tommy's eyes, hair, and cheekbones. Jude shook her head, concentrating on her oldest son.

"Michael, I think we should talk about what happened."

Michael shook his head and put his IPOD back in his ears, "I'd rather not."

Jude was getting frustrated so she hastily pulled the IPOD from his hands, in turn ripping the ear buds from his ears. Michael yelped and held his hands over his ears, "God damn it Mom! That hurt!!" Jude pointed her pointer finger at him, "Don't talk to me like that."

Michael rolled his eyes and lied back on the bed. "I think you're old enough now to know what really happened between your father and me."

Michael sat up a little bit, meeting his mother's gaze. "I remember what happened mom. I was eight, I remember you yelling at him, and him begging you not to go. But you picked me up anyway and left, I remember him telling you not to take me but you did."

Jude looked down, "That's not the entire story…"

Tommy sat in his office chair and started spinning. Lately he had been thinking of the past a lot and he didn't know why. He was pretty bored because Kwest was out of time and he was the co-producer for most of his clients and they didn't feel comfortable working without him. There was a knock on the office door so Tommy yelled a quick 'come in' while bouncing his pen between his fingers, making it look like it was rubber.

Sadie opened the door and threw some papers on his desk, "Mail, fan mail, and some contracts to look over. Darius wants the contracts by Wednesday."

Tommy nodded, "Thanks Sadie." She just rolled her eyes and turned to walk out the door. Ever since he cheated on her little sister Sadie's has been strictly professional with Tommy, cold towards him. Tommy sighed, "Sadie…when are you going to stop hating me?"

Sadie turned on her heel, "I might not talk to Jude as much anymore, but that doesn't change the fact that I hate you for hurting her. I hate that you broke her heart and I hate that my ex-husband is over there comforting her! We aren't close at all but she will talk to Kwest!! I hate that you hurt her!! I hate that you drove her away!! I hate you!!" Sadie turned on her heel again and walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Tommy sighed, "Kwest is comforting her? What the hell does that mean? I don't even know where the hell she is but Kwest is taking time off from work to go visit her?"

Michael ran a hand through his hair, all this time he was resenting his mom when in reality he should hate his dad. He broke their family, and then he didn't even fight for them. "Mom, I'm sorry. I was way off." Jude flicked her wrist at him, showing it was not a big deal. "I was sort of avoiding the topic with you kids anyway. I guess I just didn't want to relive it."

Michael nodded and pulled her into a hug. "I love you Mom." Jude nodded and pulled the sixteen year old closer to her, "Love you too kid. And you know your dad loved you too. He really did. You were the highlight of his life. Everything he did revolved around you; hell everything I did revolved around you."

Michael laughed, "I was just that cute?" He said cockily pulling away. Jude laughed, "Just like your father, full of yourself." Michael laughed, "Well I'm glad we talked."

Jude smiled, "Me too."

Kwest and Jude were talking again, catching up on old times. It started to get dark outside and Jude got the kids ready for bed. She was giving Madison a bath at the moment, leaving Kwest to his thoughts.

Kwest heard a faint guitar sound and followed the music to, yet again, Jude's 'office.' Kwest opened it up and saw Michael in there, his back was to him and he listened to Michael play. He started humming something and then writing things down in the journal.

Kwest cleared his throat, "I thought no one was allowed in the studio." Michael jumped, causing Kwest to chuckle. "Uncle Kwest! I…uh…I thought everyone went to bed."

Kwest laughed, "The twins aren't even in bed yet, man if you're gonna sneak around you gotta be better at it."

Michael laughed and looked down, "Please don't tell my mom. She is always telling me to stay away from the music business." Kwest nodded, "Well I understand why."

Michael nodded, "Hey Uncle Kwest, I can trust you enough to keep a secret right?"

Kwest nodded and sat next to him, "Of course, incase you killed anyone then I would rather not know." Kwest laughed and Michael chuckled, "No I mean, do you think you could help me record something, and not tell my mom."

Kwest nodded, "Get in the booth boy and sing whatcha momma gave ya…" Michael gave him an odd look and laughed.

Sadie walked into Tommy's office and threw him his mail again. Tommy looked up from his laptop, Kwest had gotten back that morning so Sadie was in a bad mood. "Thanks Sadie." She just rolled her eyes and walked back out.

Tommy looked through the mail, "Contract, contract, bills, quotes…CD?" He mumbled to himself. Tommy opened it up and slid the disk out; there was a little note that said "Miss you." And the CD itself said 'Emotionless.' Tommy rolled his eyes and chucked it, there was no return address so it was probably just some stupid fan mail.

Tommy continued with his work when Sadie knocked before entering again. "Forgot something." She said throwing an envelope on his desk. Tommy nodded and Sadie turned to leave but paused in front of the door, "Hey Tommy, what was in that CD case?" She asked, thinking maybe it was something from Jude.

Tommy shrugged, "Don't know, I chucked it. It's probably just some stupid fan mail or someone looking to get signed." Sadie scoffed, "So you can't even listen to it? Typical Tommy."

Tommy watched as she walked out the door again and then his gaze drifted to the trashcan. 'It's just three minutes…' Tommy thought to himself. He sighed and reached into the trashcan and pulled out the envelope. Tommy slid the CD into the player and heard, what sounded like a kid, clear his throat. Then he started to sing.

Tommy nodded along with the music, the kid truly had talent. Tommy looked at the envelope but saw that there was no return address. Getting an idea Tommy wrote down a quick note, 'G-Major, Sunday at 5 p.m. We can talk about a contract.' Tommy slid it into the envelope and taped it shut again. He took out a red pen and wrote 'Return to Sender' on the front. Tommy smiled at the envelope before dropping it in the mail bin.

Jude walked out of the house to get the mail. "bills, bills, credit card offer, letter from Sadie…return to sender?" Jude said confused. She was about to look at the address but Michael swooped in and took it from her. "Sorry, that's for me…"

Jude looked at him, "Who are you writing too?"

Michael shrugged, "Annabel moved away so we're just keeping in touch every way we can." Michael lied, partly. His girlfriend did just recently move. Jude shrugged and motioned to the envelope, "But it says return to sender on it."

Michael looked at it. "Oh, I wrote the wrong zip code. Silly me." Michael hit his own forehead and Jude gave him a funny look before turning around and walking back into the house.

Michael looked at the envelope disappointed. He opens it anyway to retrieve his CD and noticed the note that falls out. "Yes!" he cheered. Michael threw the empty envelope on the ground and did a little happy dance. He looked to walk back into his house and saw his mom looking at him funny from the window; Michael gave her an awkward smile and wave before walking to his car and driving off to meet his friends.